Psalms 141

1 A psalm of David. Yahweh, I am crying out to you; come quickly to me. Listen to me when I call to you.

Jehovah, I have called upon thee. Make haste to me. Give ear to my voice when I call to thee.

2 May my prayer be like incense before you; may my lifted hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

3 Yahweh, place a guard over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.

Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.

4 Do not let my heart desire any evil thing or participate in sinful activities with men who behave wickedly. May I not eat any of their delicacies.

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. And let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let a righteous man hit me; it will be a kindness to me. Let him correct me; it will be like oil on my head; may my head not refuse to accept it. But my prayer is always against their wicked deeds.

Let a righteous man smite me, as a kindness. And let him reprove me, as oil upon the head. Let not my head refuse it. For even in their wickedness my prayer shall continue.

6 Their leaders will be thrown down from the top of cliffs; they will hear that my own words are pleasant.

Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. And they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.

7 They will have to say, “As when one plows and breaks up the ground, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.” (Sheol h7585)

Like plowing and furrowing the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

8 Surely my eyes are on you, Yahweh, Lord; in you I take refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.

For my eyes are to thee, O Jehovah the Lord. In thee do I take refuge. Leave not my soul destitute.

9 Protect me from the snares that they have laid for me, from the traps of evildoers.

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass over.